Empowering Operating Managers with Decision Support System to Prevent Process Safety Incidents

The Operating Manager can be considered as ‘forward or finisher’ as in a football team. He is an essential link between the strategic & tactical level of management and the shop floor personnel who are in close proximity of the process and its hazards.

Having a robust Safety Management System is an essential aspect for an organization.   However, effective methods to get the Operating Managers to understand their role, the parts of the system that they need to deeply understand, the way to evaluate their plant's progress or lack of it, and their ability to get the operating team to do the right things is a crucial link in the delivery of good Process Safety. 

The paper broadly outlines RIL's endeavor to sensitize and facilitate the Operating Managers in their efforts to effectively manage Process Safety.   Some of the programs initiated by RIL are covered in the paper.   These include

 -          Establishing a key list of leading and lagging metrics to be monitored on a regular basis.

 -          Bringing in clarity on need to achieve production targets while being within the stipulated safe limits

 -          Use of Job Cycle Check to improve compliance to operating procedures

 -          Developing and monitoring ways to share and implement learning from internal and external incidents.

 -          Safety Observation program to influence safe behaviors at workplace.

 -          Establishing non negotiable actions such as completion of 2nd party audits, timely incident investigations, adherence to  Life Protection rules

 The paper explains the usefulness of these efforts and the challenges faced.